Beer: Reviews & Ratings

On tap at bar on the drag. A: burnt orange (fitting) nice 3 finger head dissipates rather quickly with lots of lacing on the glass.S: very citrusy hints of orange and grapefruit.T: danky, hoppy, cheesy intense up front after taste is more smooth and mellow no tastes of booze good for a brew of this high gravity.M: Feels light and refreshing a little surprisingly drinkable.O: good DIPA on all accounts maybe not a session beer but definitely worth a try (460 characters)

32oz grumbler filled (via tube connected to tap) at The Growler Room in Austin, Texas, a couple days ago, and refrigerated since it was purchased. 512 brewing “Double IPA.” Served into a Spaten stange glass in me gaff in low altitude Austin, Texas. Expectations are average; I haven’t loved anything from this brewery yet.

I can’t confirm the ABV; The Growler Room didn’t specify one and 512’s website has no information on this beer currently.

Served cold – straight from me fridge. Side-poured with extra vigor as slight carbonation issues are anticipated given the growler serving type.

A: No bubble show as I pour.

Pours a four finger wide head of the standard white-khaki colour typical of heads in the imperial IPA style. It’s got a good fluffy soft complexion and appears somewhat creamy and frothy. Has a good thicknss to it. Light inconsistent lacing coats the sides of the glass as the head slowly recedes. Head retention is quite good – about 7+ minutes.

It could certainly be more lively and inviting; it’s a bit reticent for the style and isn’t consistent with the appearances of the best imperial IPAs I’ve had. Still, I’m optimistic and excited to try it. The head is fairly impressive considering this is a growler pour.

Sm: Unquestionably hop-emphatic, the aroma suggests primarily floral hop character with a bit of pine as well, but suffers from an off-putting sweet candy floss/cotton candy note that has me concerned about the beer’s sweetness. Quite fragrant and grassy, with evergreen and pine notes lending a crisp refreshing quality to the aroma.

On the malty side, it’s pretty standard – just your run-of-the-mill malting with pale malts. Perhaps a dash of munich or pils malts, but no biscuit or cereals or anything like that.

The hop choices aren’t horribly impressive, and there isn’t any obvious marriage of hops to malts. There’s nothing unique or special here.

No yeast character or alcohol is detectable. Aroma is of mild strength overall.

T: A bit of badly executed citrus in the latter half of the second act and about the climax is the first thing I pick up on; I get rough grapefruit with accompanying untamed bitterness and some off-putting tree-like notes of pine and evergreen that don’t do this beer any favors. Standard pale malts comprise the simple basic foundation. The candi character from the aroma is also featured in the flavour profile to its detriment. Some honey bolsters the sweetness still further, throwing the beer further out of balance. Bitterness is noticeable – something of a feat considering the beer is somehow also too sweet at other points in its structure. Generic floral hop character is predictably present throughout.

No yeast character comes through, and I do pick up on a bit of alcohol warmth.

Overall, it’s not great for an imperial IPA. The lack of balance in particular is the core flaw with this beer. The choices of hops are poor in my opinion and don’t represent a cohesive focused direction of flavour; there’s little intentionality and deliberation behind the ingredients selected – and this has an obvious effect on the flavour profile. Not a gestalt beer by any means.

Depth of flavour is disappointingly shallow. Intensity and duration of flavour are average.

Mf: Quite typical. Overcarbonated – a surprise from a growler. Smooth and wet. Okay body. Decent presence on the palate. It suits the flavour profile only decently, and never feels custom-tailored to it. Not oily, harsh, gushed, or hot, but there is some light warmth from the alcohol. A bit too thick for the lack of flavour depth and diversity, but not quite overbearing. Certainly not as soft or pleasant as it should be.

Dr: I appreciate that the contemporary beer marketplace seems to demand that a brewery offer an imperial IPA, but 512 has provided a subpar effort with this beer. I wouldn’t recommend it to friends, nor would I get it again, and while I’ll finish my grumbler, I won’t enjoy it as I hoped I would. I’m glad I didn’t get a full growler. It’s downable and inoffensive, but it won’t impress. Nice try, 512, but this is a swing and a miss.

A forgettable imperial IPA that will get lost amidst the myriad of better (and often more affordable) beers in the style. I continue to be unimpressed by 512’s efforts.

Pours a clear amber color with a thick foamy head. Aroma of citrus and grapefruit. Taste is pretty much the same. A little more malty character than I would like but still very solid. Full bodied with a moderate carbonation. (228 characters)

Drank this at the Industry Party at the brewery!!! Pours up a clear rusty-gold color with a decent white head. Aromas of grapefruit, citrus hops, a little honey. Flavor is the same as the aroma. Pretty bitter, lots of citrus. Full bodied, nice crispy carbo. This is a tasty beer on a 101 degree day (298 characters)